On 29 November 2013 in Vilnius, Moldova will initial the Association Agreement with the European Union, which includes norms regarding the Moldovan goods entering the European single market. The initialing of the Agreement is an acknowledgment at the highest European level of the merits of successive pro-European governments in Chisinau since 2009 to modernize the country, advance the rule of law and improve economic conditions.
The EU Home affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström proposed today the elimination of visa requirements for Moldovan citizens holding a biometric passport. Moldovan citizens should receive what they deserve after the pro-European governments have done well to fulfill the Commission’s criteria. Based on its own success, the Republic of Moldova deserves and should receive a free circulation regime in the European Union by 2014. I assure that I will support the Moldovan citizens in the European Parliament at the votes on visa liberalization.
The Republic of Moldova is ahead of the other five states of the eastern border of the EU (Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus) and has seriously demonstrated its pro-European aspirations. The Republic of Moldova became a vital part of the European Eastern Neighbourhood Policy and the locomotive of the Eastern Partnership. The recent regional development obliges the EU to apply the principles of its neighbourhood policy more strictly: by evaluating each State on its own merits and supporting each partner according to its results. Therefore, the EU must provide Chisinau with policy and financial instruments to support these aspirations and to reward the progress made by the Republic of Moldova.
As such, the EU must now support the Republic of Moldova commercially through market liberalization of agricultural products.
After initialing the Agreement in Vilnius, it must be signed as soon as possible in order to provisionally enter into force long before the end of 2014.
The EU must also support the Republic of Moldova with projects of interconnection with the EU in transport infrastructure for electric and natural gas energy as well as the transport corridors through Romania, the only neighboring EU member state.
It is in our power, the Europeans, to make Vilnius a turning point in the contemporary history of our continent. The Republic of Moldova has a crucial role in this, as does the European Union, which has to support Moldova with all its powers and means.
Note for editors: The Member of the Parliament, Monica Macovei is the Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Moldova Parliamentary Cooperation Committee